I Love the Smell of Progress

      If you don't have curtains up in your bedroom, or anywhere in your home for that matter, stop what you're doing and buy some right now! And while you're at it, grab some bamboo roman blinds in a tone that you love and some hardware that floats your boat, and get it all up on your walls. It makes a world of difference.
        Let's start from the beginning, shall we. I knew I wanted to do a combination of bamboo roman blinds + floor length curtains on the windows in our master bedroom. I had long loved the look that I had seen over and over again, in images like this:

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and this:

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and this:

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      The pairing of the two adds so much texture, but still reads so clean. Between hardware, bamboo, and fabric, you are able to bring in so many layers, and so much depth. Curtains are like the clothes on a room, and it was time to get mine dressed. So I began trolling the internet long ago for just the right option for us. Because I love print and pattern, I knew a solid color, even if textured, wasn't an option. What I settled on were these beauties: 

West Elm

       They are West Elm (per usual), and they had a lot going for them. A large scale print. A nice, not too in your face, palette. I looked at them often while considering lots of other options and price points, but each time I saw them again, I liked them a little bit more then the time before. When my "like" or "love" sustains for a home good, then that's how I know its a great choice for us. Then it was just a matter of waiting for a great sale. Luckily, a sale came along, and they became mine (they were my birthday gift this year). Sure, I could have settled on a more inexpensive option (I definitely considered making my own, but drapery weight fabric is expensive in itself), but truth be told, I don't like settling for something so-so. I want something I will like for the long haul. 
       Then, sadly, they sat in waiting in our garage for a month and a half, while I hunted for the perfect bamboo mates for them. After comparison shopping at Lowe's, Home Depot, Target, etc. I finally located a good roman blind at a fare price, on Overstock.com.  I went with a medium tone, and they arrived on our door step shortly thereafter. Then they too sat in waiting until I could pick up some curtain rods.
       Finally, last weekend, the stars aligned for us. We both had the weekend off together (doesn't happen often) and we didn't have any plans (which can be refreshing) so we devoted most of our time to home projects. I made a trip to Target, where I was able to grab some curtain rods. I had originally planned on an oil rubbed bronze option, to give some needed dark contrast, but they didn't have any in stock, so I took a risk and went with a different finish and style. When I arrived back home, priority one was finally getting all of our window gear up. It took Jon some time, because he likes to ensure it's all done just right, but it was well worth the work, and pennies spent, if I do say so myself. You might remember the pretty bad before of our bedroom space:

Before we had moved in:

I swear the room reads much more narrow 

and cave-esque on camera. 

It's quite spacious in person.

How it's been looking since we moved in, in May.

Naked you might say?

And how it's looking today:

I'd say it's an upgrade, wouldn't you?

The large window opposite our bed also got the divine treatment.

       In case you want to do something similiar in your own home, we used the technique of hanging the curtains and hardware high and wide to give the illusion of taller and larger windows.  We mounted the bamboo blinds outside of the window and actually on the wall above the window,  about five inches from the ceiling (we left enough room for the white molding we'll be installing). This draws your eyes up, making the room appear taller, and because everything frames the windows, we're not losing out on any of the much needed natural light. I purchased curtains with the appropriate length, knowing that this would be our plan and I then pre-washed them prior to hanging. I thought they would need to be hemmed up a bit, but I'm so glad they don't. We'll be utilizing this same technique in our living room too, when the time comes.

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Notice anything else different in the image above?

Yep, we didn't stop at window treatments, 

we finally upgraded our bedroom sconces. 

These two outdated, builder boring choices had been

flanking each wall since we moved in,

and we both despised them.

I hated looking at them day in and day out from our vantage point in bed.

       I had chosen an option from Crate & Barrel, but we don't have a store locally and they were on back order online until November. We planned on waiting until then (when we had saved up the needed cash anyways), but when I learned that my parents were coming to Tahoe for a visit and their local store had them in stock, we figured it might be time to get it done. We avoided the $30.00 shipping charge by having my parents pick them up for us (and you know Mama had a coupon too), so when they arrived with my parents, we couldn't wait to get them up on the wall. 

The moment we opened the box, we were in love. 

The scale was right. 

They were so fresh and the antique bronze finish was yummy.

Ta-Dang!

(Our local hardware store is currently out of Edison bulbs, 

but use your imagination, they'll be in stock soon. And please imagine that 

I cleaned the fingerprints off the glass before I took this photo)

       We are far from done with this space (night stands with hardware and baskets are needed, molding on windows, board and batten on the lower half of the walls, lighting on the left side of the bed, an upholstered head and foot board, upper molding,  just to name a few....dozen), but we are so happy with the direction these curtains and the new sconces are taking us in. It's actually feeling a bit more like a real bedroom. It's actually feeling like US! And the icing on the cake is that Jon and I both like everything so far. I think it's also giving him a hint of confidence in my choices and plans (even though he may not admit it), which is an added bonus.